


Donkey Kong: Three Decades of Deceit

by p4ratchet



Series: Smash Vault [1]
Category: Donkey Kong (Video Games), Super Mario Bros., Super Smash Brothers
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-18
Updated: 2015-04-18
Packaged: 2018-03-23 14:03:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3770986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/p4ratchet/pseuds/p4ratchet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mario has a pretty good reputation as hero of the Mushroom Kingdom after he triumphed over Donkey Kong years ago, however when a letter arrives at the Mario Bros. home a dark truth begins to come to light, one that sheds new life on the players in that game over 30 years ago.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Donkey Kong: Three Decades of Deceit

Reports indicate that a large gorilla like creature has taken a lady hostage and is currently wreaking havoc at a construction site down town. The creature is dangerous and many fear the poor woman’s safety. Who will save the day?  
Yet a hero has emerged! Known only as Jumpman he is clearing through the stages of the site without batting an eye. Go Jumpman!  
The gorilla has been brought to justice. The lady is unharmed and we are all safe from the beast’s terrifying rampage. Thank you Jumpman! You've saved us!

 

I’m certain you've seen these reports before? These newspapers, the news reports… Wreaking havoc and… and… terrifying rampage, they all missed the point! Just because I’m this big gorilla they think me intimidating but really I never planned to hurt anyone. The world judged me before they even considered why I was out there throwing barrels that grim day. Did anyone even bother to take a good hard look at me? I was the terrified one that day. I wanted everything to be okay. Pauline said that it would be but… now the rest of this story is set in stone. I am the villain now, and you the hero.  
You are the great Mario, show-boating to the adoring crowds and jumping that famous jump for the cameras. I can still remember how they applauded you that day; the hero of the hour and his amazing jump. They called you mighty strong; they said you were perfection… How I felt was overlooked by everyone. What kind of hero only see things at surface level, couldn't the great Mario have looked a little closer? Couldn't he hear the cries of my tortured heart?   
I suppose I should get to my point, as to why I’m committing this to paper. I was never the villain of this tale. The villain was never the big gorilla, but something else disguised. There’s one member of this story whose true colours have yet to see the light of day, one who’s walked away without paying for the crimes they've committed. I implore you now do not blackguard me. I am King Kong’s brother, his man at arms, I have been used and abused and wrongfully condemned and my fall has been hard and damning. Pity me for I have suffered.  
Thus I begin my tale with a heavy heart as for many a while now I have kept it secret not for my sake but for hers because for all her devilry I cannot hate her. I could never hate her. I shall always love where love is never to be returned. And yet despite how she manipulated my emotions for that doesn't make them any less real. Yes I am more than a pawn in all this, I must believe that.  
Regardless I must press on, and so I tell you the real truth of what drove me to the construction site that fateful day…

 

Luigi tumbled to the ground, along with the letter and the rest of the post he’d picked up a few moments ago, as the sound of the front door alerted him to the fact his brother had returned home. “Oh boy that was intense” he thought to himself as he recovered from the gripping prose of the unknown writer, written on the scrawl of paper included in today’s Parakarry post, (“is this really Donkey Kong?” he thought).  
He collected himself, propped the rest of the letters on the mantelpiece and turned his attention to the living room to ask his brother what this strange confession could mean. However Mario arrived with Princess Peach on his arm and Luigi remembered the tea they had arranged to have after their round of gold on Toadstool Tour. The Toads quickly followed to make the room comfortable, lighting a fire and arranging the cushions while the Princess chatted away about the day’s competition and the lovely weather that had accompanied them. Mario was as attentive as ever, hanging on every word and being as jovial as ever he is when the Princess is by his side. Luigi couldn't help hanging back a moment, the suspense of the previous minute quite harshly contrasting with the picture of perfect domesticity before him now. In fact it took some time for the pair to acknowledge him standing there.  
“Why hello Luigi, why ever are you standing there gawking? Are you feeling all right? Come over here, Toad has lit a fire that will warm you right up.” Luigi smiled at this and for the moment all his concerns washed away, Peach could do that to you, she was the harbinger of serenity. However when his brother gave him a hearty wave to follow, the shadow of the letter almost overwhelmed him and it took a large effort to decide to wait until this merry evening was through before asking him about this letter that drove a cold front all through his body.  
Mario had not noticed his brother’s initial rigidity so Luigi merely passed his moment of quietness down to feeling a tad under the weather. His brother being the kind soul he is could not sit still until Luigi had some medicine and despite the Princess being the apple of his eye, he bounded across the room to the kitchen to see if he had anything to soothe Luigi’s ailments. Despite his protestations Luigi thought it best to let the idea stick and so he allowed himself to be uplifted by the Princess’ unyielding chirpiness as she recounted the sinking pits of the Shifting Sands course.  
However Luigi did not notice his brother spot the pile of post atop the mantelpiece. Nor did he notice him reach up and hold the one opened in his hands. Nor did anyone notice the unfamiliar expression of fear and exasperation pass through his face as he began to read the offensive piece. He went white as a sheet and did not notice as the revelry behind him had stopped. All eyes were now upon him and the Princess asked for the third time, “Are you okay, Mario?”  
He laughed weakly, he confessed that the cold that took his brother had suddenly taken hold of him and he urged the Princess to avoid the same fate and perhaps reconvene their supper for another occasion. Of course she begged to stay but the Toads, believing it best for her to avoid this altogether powerful affliction, persuaded her it was for the best and with a heart full of concern she left the two brothers with a promise she’ll bring medicine first thing in the morning.  
Alone now Luigi felt uncomfortable, more so because he’d never felt this way around his brother before in their entire lives. He couldn't understand the expressions running across Mario’s face but one thing he thought for sure was that he looked like his world had come to an end. Not that he had long to decipher this, as Mario quickly apologised to his brother and began to retreat to the sanctuary of his bedroom. However, before left the room he stopped to ask his brother if there was anything amiss between them. The confused look Luigi returned to the question seemed to confirm something for him and thus he left his brother’s sight.  
Luigi couldn’t sleep well that night; something had come over Mario that shook his peace of mind. “What was written in that letter?” he thought, not that he could find out as Mario had taken the letter with him to bed. But as he tried to settle down into a restless night sleep, Mario was pulling on his Tanooki suit and swiftly disappearing into the night.

 

The hellish journey that Mario had taken that night had almost finished him off; the chaos in his head had somehow manifested into a physical pain that now rested firmly in his stomach. Nevertheless he had made it to his destination and was sat across from Pauline in the bar of her choice (as usual she is calling the shots here), a deflated cappuccino before him, and a feeling of relief that the situation had not yet overcome him.  
Pauline was as collected as ever, Mario had always known her for her level head and was amazed to this day how she had convinced the public she had been the damsel in distress she is now known to be. Dedicated to her role, braver than the bravest of us… Yet she looked weaker than he’d ever seen her before, the cigarette normally held nonchalantly in her fingers betrayed a tremor that was shooting through her arm every few seconds. Right now she was not playing her part, and the belief that she would never act anything but herself in front of him gave him the courage to continue in his behest.  
She gave him the courtesy of saying his piece, letting all the worry and dread out as he gave his meek orations that attempted to blame her for his troubles in his indirect, goodie-two-shoes manner. But her patience was endless and she would not interrupt until he had finished moaning and fallen into that sad silence she knew so well these days. She simply sat before him and bided her time by slowly puffing away on her cigarette. Mario kept speaking but she could tell he was almost through and after one final accusatory outburst against her moral fibre, he finally became unintelligible and his voice trailed away.  
She sighed. The last few years had particularly taken their toll on her. The renewed interest in the whole Donkey Kong affair 30 odd years ago had forced her to act where the so called hero could only panic. The identity of the real Kong, the theme park, mini’s playing their parts while the main cast spouted on about friendship, not to mention the re-enactments; she had worked hard to erase any and all suspicions against them and she couldn't believe that even now Mario had let her down.  
“My dear Mario…” she began and the uncertainty rose up through him now as he contemplated whether rage or a glimpse of their old flame would follow next. She didn’t have the spirit for either any more… “You knew Kong’s love for me would one day be a problem. I told you to silence him. He would have been happier that way no doubt. Poor creature… But you made me believe he’d been taken care of Mario. What am I to do now?” She had nothing left to offer the man; he’d already taken her freedom from her, something which he’d never really grasped before. “You and your scams have killed many people Super Mario, only their flesh lives on as punishment for their transgressions”. She took another drag of her cigarette to mask the sob that had risen up her throat.  
Mario had nothing to reply with. He knew she was right, she’d always been right and he had never done enough to thank her. His happiness, his beloved Peach, would never have been his without her. But to end a life, one which essentially didn’t exist any more, could he bring himself to commit this crime too.  
He exhaled, allowing all his worries to flood away from him. There was only one solution. He told Pauline plain and simple that he would find Donkey Kong and he would kill him, silence him forever. Pauline was only half convinced at this conviction but another issue had arisen that she knew poor Mario had been avoiding. What about his brother? How much did Luigi now know? However, before she even had a chance to ask the question, a disturbance was heard behind their booth, the doors to the bar had been flung open in haste and Mario, alarmed now, ran out the building with the distinct feeling they had been overheard. Pauline watched the man leave with full knowledge as to what, or more appropriately who had caused the disturbance, and she began the peculiar act of shedding tears she could never shed, a deficiency she believed was a result of the sins she would never be able to confess.   
Outside Mario stumbled across his worse fear. Their spy had gotten away, yet in their haste they had lost a hat outside the door, a green hat with an L emblem adorning the front. A conflict began in Mario at this moment, raging harder than any battle he had ever fought since his rise to fame. It disturbed him to think that in an instant he must choose between having his crimes revealed to the world, or his brother’s life. Yet what he found ever more disturbing was that his arms were pulling on his Tanooki suit without direction, his legs were already sprinting after their prey, panic fuelled adrenaline taking over and Mario already knew where this night was to take him. No matter what, he would always remain the hero who triumphed over Donkey Kong. With a skilful leap he took to the skies in search of his brother…


End file.
